State legislators discuss priorities at May 16 Maynard selectmen meeting

Friday

May 19, 2017 at 12:21 PMMay 23, 2017 at 4:16 PM

By Mark Schulertbeacon-villager@wickedlocal.com

State Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, and state Rep. Kate Hogan, D-Stow, reported on developments in the state Legislature at the May 16 Maynard Board of Selectmen meeting.

Eldridge said the Senate had just passed its state budget that day, which he was still studying.

He listed his priorities:

He would address a state budget shortfall by closing corporate tax loopholes and tax breaks.

He would like to increase Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding to provide 50 percent matching funds, up from the present 27 percent.

He would raise the tax rate on short-term rentals.

He believes in protecting state aid to communities under Chapter 70 (education), and Chapter 90 (highways).

He supports public transportation, noting the work on the Assabet Rail Trail to the South Acton train station.

He would increase transportation shuttle services.

He would protect funding for the social safety need for the homeless, at risk children, and persons with disabilities.

He supports special education, noting that this was a serious burden on local budgets.

He recognized the need to fund infrastructure.

Finally he had a goal of increasing expenditure on the environment to 1 percent of the budget.

Eldridge has proposed a bill to impose a fee for municipal water withdrawal, whether from public or private sources of 70 cents per 1,000 gallons. This would raise about $150 million, 75 percent of which would remain with the water district and 25 percent would go to the state for water infrastructure. He noted that the state has a $40 million backlog in water infrastructure needs.

He would also extend the bottle bill to extend fees to bottled water.

Eldridge serves as chairman of the Joint Financial Services Committee and vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change among other committee assignments.

Hogan noted that of the House state budget of $40.4 billion about $1.5 million in Local Aid was allocated to Maynard and a little more than $5 million in Chapter 70 education aid.

She said, "While the state has a robust economy we do not have not robust revenues."

Her priorities include public libraries.

She said it was important that libraries always "keep the doors open and the lights on."

Another interest is local boys and girls clubs.

She said that as chairwoman of the Public Health Committee she supports raising the age for tobacco purchase to 21.

She noted that for senior citizens, children, and those with disabilities the geography of the district presents unique challenges to get access to health care.

Selectman David Gavin said the interrelationship between transportation issues and senior issues saying transportation was important to seniors. He said while the rail trail was a worthwhile transportation project "not many seniors ride bikes."

Selectman Terrance Donovan asked what was being done to fund special education.

Eldridge said he believed the state was not providing enough funding for special education.

Hogan agreed, saying early intervention was essential to make a difference in children’s lives.

Gavin also asked about progress on a law setting procedures to regulate recreational marijuana.

Eldridge said he expected a bill would be passed this summer to determine which agency would set the policy regarding regulation of marijuana use.

In the meantime, he said some towns have acted to ban marijuana use while others see it as a welcome source of additional revenue.

Hogan said it was important to set controls to avoid "a Wild West type of atmosphere."

"Why should five people become billionaires in our state? We're really going to have to look at how we tax it and how it is distributed," she said.